Apparatus for mixing concrete and the like



Nov. l, 1938. F, BALL APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Shee-t 1 MN xv uw Q\ www@ Nov. l, 1938A.

i Ai a 511i l a i i qu? I v c. F. BALL APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE ND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lvucmim i wm up Nov. 1, 1938. c. F. BALL APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,135,436 APPARATUS Foa MIXING CONCRETE .um`

' rm: Lum

Charles F. Ball, Wauwatosa,

Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 9, 1936, Serial No. 100,008

8 Claims.

A'I'his invention relates to apparatus for mixing concrete and the like, and has for one of its objects to provide an improved construction of multiple compartment mixing receptacle for such apparatus.

`A further object of the invention is to` provide an improved closure mechanism for controlling the drum openings of concrete mixing apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide o improved mechanism for actuating said closure. A still further object of the invention is to provide power actuated mechanism for operating the closure', which includes yieldable meansl arranged to prevent damage to the parts in the event of a piece of large, aggregate or other unyielding material being caught between the closure and its seat in its closing movements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved connection between the closure carrying shaft and the actuating arm therefor, said connection serving to translate rocking movements of the arm into axial movements of the shaft while permitting free rotation of the shaft upon its axis.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear more fully below, the invention consists in the novel details of construction, and combinations of parts, more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all-the views:-

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional elevational view of one form of concrete mixing or agitating receptacle, closure, and operating mechanism therefor, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of a portion of the closure carrying shaft, its support, and its connection with the closure, the extreme right hand portion of the view being taken approximately on the planes indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevational view of the shaft and its splined support. taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevational view, taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the improved connection between the closure carrying shaft and its actuating rock arm;

Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view. Dmly in elevation,-of said connection, taken-approximately on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevational 5 view of one form of yielding means for preventing damage to the parts as above set forth; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of 4a slightly modified form of connection between the closure and its supporting shaft.

' Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the multiple compartment drum or receptacle comprises va tubular shell Iii preferably although not necessarily circular in cross section, the open ends of which areclosed by the heads II and I2, riveted, 1.5 welded, or otherwise rigidly secured therein. 'Ihe head II is provided with the charging Opening I3 which may have associated therewith the charging chute I4 for. conducting the raw maternas into the drum, and the head Iz is pro- 20 vided with the-discharge opening I5 which Vmay have associated with it any suitable and well known form of discharge chute or mechanism not shown, since it in itself constitutes no part of the present invention. This discharge chute 25 may be either manually operable or automatically operable, by suitable power mechanism, as is well known in the art.

Intermediate the heads I I and I2 is the transverse partition I 6 having a central transfer open- -30 ing I1 preferably surrounded by an angle member I8 which strengthens the -partition at this point and serves as a seat for the closure member I9 which controls the transfer of the partially mixed materials 'from the preliminary mix- 35 ing compartment 20 into the nal mixing compartment 2| into which the transverse partition divides the receptacle. 'Ihe closure member I9 is carried by an axiallyextending hollow shaft 22 being joined thereto at the inner end of the 40 latter by a connection 23 winch will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The shaft 22 extends longitudinally through the compartment 20 with an extension 'I9 thereof projecting through the charging opening I3 45 and charging hopper Il, as will be readily understood from Fig. l, and having its exterior end connected by a ball and socket joint 2l, to be more fully hereinafter described, with one end of a rock arm or lever 25, the other end of which 50 is rigidly connected to a rock shaft 20 suitably journalled in the framework of the apparatus, not'shown. The said rock shaft 28 also rigidly carries an arm or lever 21 the free e'nd of which is plvotally connected as at 2B to one end of a 56 able overload release mechanism to be more fully hereinafter described, and the other' end bf which is pivotally connected as at V95 to the rotating or oscillating arm I1 of the power discharge mechanism 35 which is or may be sub` stantially of the rconstruction set forth and claimed in the prior U. S. Patent Vto Samuel Shafer, Jr., granted May 9, 1922, No. 1,415,411.

'Ihe drum or receptacle Il is further provided with the circumferentially extending tracks 4l receivable upon suitable supporting rollers, not shown, ioumaled on the framework of themachine and the said drum may also be provided with the sprocket or equivalent power transmitl ting element Il by means of which the drum may be rotated in the and well known manner.

The preliminary mixing 'chamber 2l is provided with a coniform shield and deflecting member l5, as well as with a plurality of mixing blades 45 only two of which are hereshown, and with a plurality of transfer blades or troughs I5, which extend along the inner surface of the coniform defiecting member 44 which extends from the outer shell I5 to the transfer opening I1, as will be readily apparent from Fig. l. The coniform member u not only tends to guide the mixture to the transfer opening I1, but also serves to brace and reinforce the transverse partition I5, as well as to prevent concrete from collecting in the corner joint between the said partition and the outer shell I5, where it would otherwise harden and build up to such an extent as to have to bel frequently chipped out by hand. 'I'he numbergof mixing blades 45 and Vthe transfer blades or troughs 59 may vary, one typical example thereof being sixl mixing blades such as I5, and three transfer troughs I5, which latter preferably form continuations of an alternate three of the mixing blades as shown in the upper portion of the preliminary mixing chamber. In

' like manner the final mixing chamber 2| is provided with a plurality of mixing blades I1 and a plurality of discharge buckets 49,' and the numbers of these blades and buckets will likewise vary, one typical example thereof being six mixing blades I1, and 12 discharge buckets Il.

As will be clear from Fig. l, the outer end of the hollow shaft 22 is supported by the ball and socket connection 2l and rock arm 25, and the inner end of the said shaft is supported by a slide bearing which, as here'shown, comprises a plate 50, see also Figs. 2 and 3, substantially vertically disposed within the preliminary mixing chamber adjacent the transfer opening I1 and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the transfer blades or troughs I5. The said plate 50 carries a plurality of fingers or projections 5|, the inner ends 52 voi? which are slidably receivable in the longitudinal extending channel vmembers 5I, which a're `welded or otherwise rigidly secured upon the exterior surface of the hollow shaft 22. The said shaft is thus splined to the support 50 being freely axially slidable therethrough but positively rotatable therewith, as will be readily understood.

As best shown in Figs.2 and 4, the connection between the transfer closurek I9 and the hollow shaft 22 comprises a ball member 59 mounted received in and rigidly secured to the extreme end of the hollow shaft 22. The said ball memt ber SII is enclosed by a socket Il comprising two members 64 and 95 which are separable and have the closure plate I9 clamped between them. The ball member 55 is provided with a plurality of radially extending lugs 55 which are receivable in recesses 51 formed in the socket members 54 and 55 which recesses are of such dimensions relative to those of the lugs that limited oscillatory'. movements of the socket members and closure I9 are permitted in the direction of the axis of the shaft 22 but relative circumferential movement between the ball member and the socket and plate is prevented. It results from this construction that although rotary motion of -the shaft is positively transmitted through the lugs and recesses to the socket and closure member I9, the latter at the same time may oscillate ax- II and thus provide a reasonably tight closure between the said ring and plate, as will be readily understood. f v

In order to prevent entry of constituents of the *concreteV mixture into the connection 29 there is preferably provided a rubberor other yielding sleeve 59 one end of which is clamped as by a ring 59 to the socket member 5l, while the other end thereof is clamped as by a ring 1li to a flange 1I rigidly secured to the stud 52, all as will be clear from Fig. 2. I The ball and socket connection 2| between the outer'end of the shaft 22 and rock` arm 25 is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, and comprises a housing 15 formed with a partly` spherical socket 15 which receives the ball member 11. The

said ball member |1- is axially bored for the rec eption of an anti-friction bearing 15 which serves as a journal forfthe extremeouter end of the stud shaft 1l which is rigidly secured by welding or otherwise to the hollow shaft 22. One end of thebore in the ball 11 is preferably closed by the threaded cap member Il, while the other end of said bore is Provided with a suitable seal Il which seal and cap prevent entry of the concrete constituentsinto the bearing. The housing 15 is provided with a pin or stud 92 one end 93 of which projects into an elongated recess 84 formed in the ball member 11 and which serves to prevent rotation of the ball relative to the housing while at the same time permitting of oscillating movements thereof in the plane of the shaft axis.

The stud 52, stud shaft 19 and cap member Il, are preferably provided with the axial lubrication passages 85, 86, and 91, respectively, whereby l suitable lubricant may be introduced to the parts.

While the yielding overload mechanism incorporated into the pitman 35 may take various forms, that shown in detail in Fig. 'Ihas beenfound quite effective in actual use. Referring more particularly to the said ligure, the mechanism may comprise a stud 90 having an eye 9| for the reception of the pin 34 and which stud is threaded as at 92 into one end of a tubular housing member 99,

vthe other end of which housing isthreadedasat 94 20 ially`to accommodate itself to the `seating ring other end of which is seated against a sleeve or bushing which has a ball or anti-friction bearing |02 interposed between it and the shoulder |03 ofthe housing member 0l.' It will thus be apparent that if `during the closing movements of the closure I9 a stone or other unyielding piece of material should be caught between the closure and the seating ring I8, thereby resisting further closure of the member I9, no damage to the parts will result since the motion being transmitted to the shaft 22 and closure I9 through the rock arm 25, arm 21, link 29, bell crank lever 3| and 33 and pitman 35 from the power actuating arm 31 of the power discharge device 30 will merely compress the spring |00 while permitting those elements beyond the rod 90 to stop their movement.

As is readily understood by those skilled in the art, in the use of these multiple compartment drums or receptacles, the raw materials which go to make up a batch of concrete are introduced into the preliminary mixing chamber such asv 20 through the charging chute I4 and are there mixed for a portion only of the predetermined mixing period, after which they are transferredinto the final mixing chamber 2| and the mixing of that batch completed, while a fresh batch is being introduced into and preliminarily mixed in the chamber v2li. Of course, during the preliminary mixing in chamber 20 of the initial batch the closure I9 is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure l, toseat against the ring I0, while, when the predetermined portion of the mixing cycle has been conpleted, the power mechanism 38 will automatically move the closure tothe position shown in Fig. 1, so that the partially mixed batch may be transferred through the transfer opening |'l i'nto the nal mixing chamber 2| whereupon the mechanism 38 will again close the transfer opening and the preliminary mixing of the second batch as well as' the final mixing of the rst batch will be simultaneously completed with the closure I9 closed. At the completion of-the mixing in chamber 2| the usual discharge chute is manipulated either manually or automatically to discharge the completely mixed batch from the receptacle whereupon the cycleis repeated.

In the somewhat modified form of connection between the closure and shaft illustrated in Figure 8, the end of the shaft is provided with a.

4 stud |05 having an enlarged head |00, which is positioned between the opposite rubber or other yielding blocks ,or members |01 and |08. The said blocks and head are enclosed by a housing |09, secured as by bolts ||0 to the central part of the closure I0, and as will be readily understood, the construction provides for universal movement of the closurerelative to the shaft, as in the preferred construction.

While one form of the invention has been il.-y

lustrated and described it isobvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the precise arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What is claimed iszl. In apparatus for mixing or agitating concrete and the like, a receptacle comprising a tubular shell having end walls provided respectively with a charging anda discharging opening; a partition wall intermediate said end walls dividing the receptacle intd preliminary and nal agitating compartments, said partition wall extending substantially perpendicular to the perimetral walls of' said shell, and having a transfer opening affording communication lbetween said compartments; a coniform member in said preliminary agitating compartment, secured to the perimetral walls of said shell and to said partition adjacent said transfer opening, and arranged to brace said partition wall as well as to deflect material toward said opening and prevent its collecting in the joint between said partition and shell; mixing blades in said compartments; transfer blades in said preliminary agitating compartment disposed substantially parallel to said coniform deflecting member and extending tosaid transfer opening; and means for controlling the passage of material through said transfer opening.

2. In apparatus for mixing or agitating concrete and the like,ja receptacle comprising a tujoint between theV partition and shell; material-` transfer blades in said preliminary agitating compartment arranged to direct material to and through said transfer opening; a supportcarried by said blades; a longitudinally movable shaft mounted in said support; and a closure member carried by said shaft in cooperative relation to said transfer opening, arranged to control the passage of material therethrough.

3. In apparatus for mixing or agitating concrete and the like, a receptacle comprising a tubular rotatable shell having end walls provided respectively witha charging and a discharging opening; a partition wall intermediate said end walls dividing the receptacle .into separate agitating compartments, and having a central transfer opening affording communication between said compartments; a coniform member secured around the perimeter of the transfer opening in said partition wall and extending therefrom to said shell arranged to brace said partition wall and deflect material in onevof said compartments toward said opening; transopening; a support secured to said blades and rotatable therewith; a shaftextending axiallyl through said charging and transfer openings, and splined in said support for axial movement `relative thereto and rotary movement therewith;

a closure member mounted on said shaft for limited oscillatory movements, arranged to control the passage of material through said transfer. opening and power actuated connections exterior of the receptacle arranged to automatically move said shaft in its support to open and close said closure.

4. In apparatus for mixing or agitating concrete andthe like, a rotatable receptacle comprising a tubular shell having transverse walls defining a mixing compartment, said walls having alined openings for ingress and egress of the material; a support adjacent said egress opening, rotatable with said shell; an axially movable shaft extending through said openings shaft about its axis; and means for moving said rockarm. A Y 4 5. In apparatus for mixing or agitating concrete vand the like, a rotatable receptacle comprising a tubular shell having transverse walls defining a mixing compartment, said walls hav- A ing alined openings for ingress and egress of the material; a support adjacent said egress opening. rotatable with said shell; a shaft exf tending through said openings, and splined adjacent one end in said support; a closure member carried by said shaft for movement to and from said egress opening to control the passage of material therethrough; a rockr arm mounted exteriorly of the receptacle adjacent said ingress opening; a connection between the other end of -said shaft and said rock arm, supporting said last named shaft end on said arm and arranged tn translate swinging movements of said arm into axial movements of said shaft while providing for rotation of the shaft Vupon its axis; power Y means for moving said rock arm; and yieldable means inthe closure operating system for preventing damage to the parts should a piece of unyielding material be caught in the closing movements of saidV closure. i

6. In closure mechanism for an opening of a concrete mixing receptacle, a shaft mounted for axial movements vrelative to the receptacle and rotary movement therewith; a closure carried by said shaft for movement thereby vto and from said opening; and a ball and socket joint'between said closure and shaft providing for limited axial oscillation of the closure relative to' `the shaft, there being lugs formed on one member of said joint. receivable in recesses formed'in the other member thereof, for preventing circumferential movement of thev closure relative to thev shaft.

7. In closure' mechanism for an opening of a concrete mixing receptaclea shaft mounted i'or axial movements and provided with a head; a closure member having a housing enclosing said head; and resilient members interposed between said head and said closure and housing arranged to provide for axial oscillation of the closure relative to the shaft.

8. In closure mechanism for an opening of a concrete mixing receptacle, a shaft mounted for axial movements; a closure carried thereby for movements to and from said opening; a rock arm for imparting movements to said shaft; and a connection between said rock arm and shaft including a socket member, a ball member mounted therein' for oscillatory movements, and a bearing within said bail member Journalling said f CHARLES F. BALL. 

